16 November 2016. On Wednesday morning, His Holiness Aram I received Mr Gaguik Dzaroukian, President of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia, in his office. The purpose of the visit was to inform His Holiness of his pledge to assist the Armenians in Syria and ask for his guidance in this action.

In order to continue the united effort of the Armenian Community to assist Syrian Armenians, His Holiness Aram I held a working session with the participation of Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, the Prelate of Peria (Syria), the Leaders of the three Armenian Political Parties in Lebanon, The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Tashnak, and the Democratic Liberal Party, Ramgavar; also attending were the Secretary of the National Executive Council of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and Armenian Members of the Lebanese Parliament.

Catholicos Aram I welcomed Mr Dzaroukian and the other invitees, praised Mr Dzaroukian for constructing churches in Armenia and for granting 500,000 US dollars to assist Armenians in Syria last year; he particularly praised Mr Dzaroukian’s decision to continue assisting Armenians in Syria.

Mr Dzaroukian thanked the Catholicos, and said that he had come to meet His Holiness Aram I, not only to affirm his commitment to continue assistance, but also to receive the benefit of his advice. Following the discussions, His Holiness Aram I thanked the participants and summarized the conclusions as follows:

1. We believe that assistance to all Armenian communities is a Pan-Armenian priority and should continue.
2. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Syrian people and we remain grateful to the Syrian people for welcoming and providing hospitality to the survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
3. We will continue the fund established by the Catholicosate of Cilicia to assist the efforts of the Emergency and Reconstruction Committee of the Armenian Community in Syria to reach out to the victims. The fund coordinates all contributions and donations.
4. We deeply appreciate the contribution of the government of Armenia and other organizations to Syrian Armenian refugees settled in Armenia or Karabagh.
5. We urge our community in Syria not to leave; at the same time, we encourage those who do leave to go to Armenia.
6. Referring to Mr Gaguik Dzaroukian’s desire to create a fund to help Syrian Armenians, His Holiness suggested the creation of a Committee to oversee the distribution of the fund in Syria, Armenia and Karabagh.